Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) throws a pass out to Denver Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (10) during the first quarter of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 22, 2014 at Paul Brown Stadium. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

It’s not the Broncos are poor so much as they had already spent a large percentage of their payroll before free agency began.

In 2015 alone, the Broncos will pay $15 million to quarterback Peyton Manning, $12.822 million to receiver Demaryius Thomas, $10.9 million to cornerback Chris Harris, $10 million to left tackle Ryan Clady and $9.754 million to outside linebacker Von Miller.

That’s $58.48 million, or 39.1 percent, of the Broncos’ salary cap, allocated to five players.

When the Super Bowl ended two weeks ago, the Broncos had the fourth-best odds to win the Super Bowl in 2016 at 8-to-1.

The uncertainty of Peyton Manning, the possible reduction in receiving talent and a lack of gambler confidence has dropped the Broncos below the Indianapolis Colts and into a fifth-place tie with the Dallas Cowboys at 12-to-1, according to the Las Vegas Westgate Super Book.

“The early going, the Broncos aren’t getting much support from anyone as far as the money coming in,” said Jay Kornegay, Westgate’s vice president of race and sports operations. “Even if Manning does come back, at this stage in his career he has to be 100 percent healthy or very close to that to be effective. His health, his weapons that surround him and lack of public support are the three main ingredients for the Broncos (odds) slowly creeping up there.”

NFL Players Inc, the marketing and licensing arm of the NFL Players Association, on Wednesday unveiled its first-ever list of the “Rising 50,” the players projected to be future top-sellers of licensed merchandise.

The list, which is based on the 2014 season, includes NFL veterans as well as “emerging young stars” and even college players who have declared for the draft.

New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr., he of the jaw-dropping one-handed catches, tops the list, while Pittsburgh’s Le’Veon Bell, Heisman winner Marcus Mariota, Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown and Indianapolis’ T.Y. Hilton round out the top five.

Gary Kubiak was formally introduced as the Broncos’ head coach Tuesday. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Minutes removed from signing his four-year pact with the Broncos, Gary Kubiak on Tuesday spoke for the first time as the team’s new head coach. With a handful of Broncos players sitting in the front row, he told a room packed with reporters, friends and family, and team personnel that he “was home.”

“I’m just so proud to be back in the Bronco Nation,” he said. “It’s been a big part of my life, and I’m looking forward to being part of it again.”

Brandon McManus, Virgil Green, Shaquil Barrett, Brandon Marshall and Ben Garland sat front row to hear their new coach speak. Afterward, they — and countless others over the last few days — took to social media to share their thoughts on Kubiak and the Broncos’ new coaching staff.

Sanders becomes the fourth of John Elway’s four major free agent players signed in 2014 to make the Pro Bowl team, joining defensive end DeMarcus Ware, cornerback Aqib Talib and safety T.J. Ward.Read more…

Denver Broncos strong safety T.J. Ward is helped off the field after getting injured during the fourth quarter after putting a hit on Cincinnati Bengals running back Giovani Bernard (25) on Dec. 22, 2014, at Paul Brown Stadium. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

CINCINNATI — Broncos strong safety T.J. Ward watched the replay of the injury on his phone, the image confirming the scare he received Monday night. After a hard tackle, his head turned slightly as players piled onto him. His neck pulled back awkwardly. Ward lay motionless for a few seconds. He would not say whether he lost feeling in his legs.

“I’d rather not talk about all that until I have more tests (Tuesday),” said Ward, who was able to walk off the field and traveled back to Denver with the team. “I appreciate all of the concern.”

Ward underwent X-Rays at the stadium, and they were negative. He has experienced several “stingers” while playing professionally.

The Broncos’ Malik Jackson head butts the Bills’ Lee Smith after a rough play in the second quarter of a game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Dec. 7, 2014. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

Malik Jackson played his best game of the season last Sunday. He wanted a game ball, he told defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio. Instead, he received an $8,268 fine for unnecessary roughness from the league on Friday.

Jackson was not penalized on the play in which he delivered a head butt to a Bills player at the end of a play. Players can be docked without an infraction called. Jackson finished with six tackles, two for a loss, and a sack in the Broncos’ win.

Broncos receiver Emmanuel Sanders was laid out by Stephon Gilmore in Sunday’s game at Sports Authority Field. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

Emmanuel Sanders has taken his share of rough hits this season, and last Sunday’s game against Buffalo at Sports Authority Field was no exception.

Bills cornerback Stephon Gilmore popped Sanders in the second quarter as he went up for a catch, causing another concussion scare for the Broncos’ receiver. Trainers came out to check on him, but he quickly stood up, took a bow and returned to the game.

Gilmore, meanwhile, was flagged for defensive interference and Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes, who got into it with some Broncos players because he disagreed with the call, was called for unsportsmanlike conduct. Bills safety Aaron Williams also started jawing at the Broncos’ sideline and got into it with defensive tackle Terrance Knighton, who had a few words about Williams after the game.

Broncos receiver Emmanuel Sanders was laid out by Stephon Gilmore in Sunday’s game at Sports Authority Field. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

“First of all, if you hit a guy and it’s a football play and you didn’t mean to do it, (then) show some sportsmanship,” Knighton told reporters after the game. “You know, when you’re not that elite of a player to be jawing to our sideline, and if that’s your way of getting your team into the game, then I feel bad for your team. Just play the game within the rules and don’t come on the sideline acting like your intent is to hurt players because that shouldn’t be how it is. Players are a fraternity, and I don’t even believe he was the guy that hit him, so I don’t know what his argument was.”

The part fans and media didn’t hear? When Williams went over to Sanders and said Gilmore was trying to take him out.

The moment everyone seems to remember most about the Broncos’ last meeting with the Chargers, in Week 8 in Denver, was not Emmanuel Sanders catching his first touchdown pass as a Bronco. It wasn’t his second TD catch or his third. It wasn’t Ronnie Hillman’s 74-yard, two-touchdown performance. It wasn’t even Von Miller’s sack dance.

No, the moment everyone remembers most was after the game, when Peyton Manning called out the Broncos’ scoreboard operator for how he portrayed Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers on the Jumbotron. You remember: First it would show Manning and the crowd would burst out in cheers. Then it would flash to Rivers and a chorus of boos would fill the stadium. Back to Manning. Then Rivers. And on and on and on.

Sports Authority Field became home to a choreographed symphony of cheers and boos.

“I thought that was kind of disrespectful,” Manning said after the Broncos’ victory. “Our fans are great, our fans are loud, but our scoreboard operator, it wasn’t his best night.”

With rookie Isaiah Burse now on the waiver wire, the Denver Broncos will have slot receiver Wes Welker serve as their primary punt returner Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.

Welker has the most experience as he returned punts for the Miami Dolphins from 2004-06, and regularly for the New England Patriots from 2007-2009 and again in 2012. He had 10 punt returns for the Broncos last season.

Run for the hills: Denver ran nine times in its first 12 plays, showing balance as the offensive line responded to the barrage of criticism last week. Denver nearly achieved a 50-50 run-pass balance for the game.

Sandman the man: Emmanuel Sanders, who suffered a concussion last week, stretched Miami’s defense with vertical routes, finishing with his sixth 100-yard game this season.

C.J. A-OK: Anderson eclipsed 100 yards in his third start. It wasn’t just the amount, but the method. He ran with urgency and attitude befitting the importance of the first home game in a month.

WORSTS

Fumble!: The Broncos entered the game with two recovered fumbles. They forced three on the Dolphins’ final scoring drive and were unable to pounce on any of them.

Burst bubble: Isaiah Burse has improved at catching punts, but he committed his biggest mistake at a bad time. He made a poor decision to field a third quarter punt. Then he stayed on his feet too long as the Dolphins’ ambushed him, causing a fumble and leading to a score.

Eric Decker spent four years in Denver — two with Peyton Manning as his quarterback — and quickly became one of the team’s most beloved players. In all, he recorded 3,071 yards from scrimmage with 33 receiving touchdowns as a Bronco before signing with the Jets as a free agent this past summer.

In his place, the Broncos signed former Steeler Emmanuel Sanders, who has since thrived as one of Manning’s top targets, averaging career highs in yards per reception (14.2), receptions per game (6.7) and touchdowns (7).

The Broncos may be struggling as of late, but the Jets are 2-8 and have been riddled with injuries, quarterback issues and, as usual, a slew of negative headlines this season.

Peyton Manning drops back to pass during last Sunday’s game in Oakland. Manning was 31-of-44, with 340 yards and five touchdowns in the win. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Rams coach Jeff Fisher spent years as a defensive assistant and coordinator with three different NFL teams and has placed an emphasis on developing a solid pass rush with this team, starting with defensive end Robert Quinn and rookie tackle Aaron Donald.

“With all due respect to the Colts and that system, the system is completely different now,” Fisher said Wednesday. “Everybody is moving around, as compared to Marvin (Harrison) playing one side and Reggie (Wayne) on the other. (Manning) just made those plays and would put his offense in the best position all the time because he knew exactly what you were doing defensively. This offense is completely different. They’ve done an outstanding job of putting outstanding players around him. I think this is the best of cast of playmakers that he’s ever had, and obviously the results are showing that.”

Sandman alive: Emmanuel Sanders remains on pace for a career-best season. He caught six passes for 69 yards in the first half and was targeted eight times. He played with bruised ribs over the final three quarters and finished with his fifth 100-yard game, and 10 catches.

Julius’ milestone: Julius Thomas scored on the opening drive of the second half, his 10th touchdown of the season. He is the first Broncos tight end to reach double digit TDs in back-to-back seasons.

WORSTS

Right tackle all wrong: Denver’s Paul Cornick was mauled by defensive end Rob Ninkovich. The mismatch forced Julius Thomas to stay in and block. Ninkovich’s interception turned the game around in the first half.

McManus misses: Brandon McManus no longer can boast of job security after clanking a 41-yarder and inspiring so little confidence from coach John Fox that the Broncos attempted a fourth-and-6 play rather than a 51-yard field goal with the wind.

Edelman wins:The Broncos allowed a crushing 84-yard punt return to Julian Edelman on a horrid day for the special teams.Read more…

Emmanuel Sanders catches his third touchdown of the night against the Chargers. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

Peyton Manningmay not have been to pleased with some of the in-game entertainment during the Broncos’ 35-21 win over the Chargers on Thursday. But based on the millions of viewers who tuned in to his three-touchdown performance, everyone else seemed to be.

CBS and NFL Network’s broadcast of the Broncos’ win at Sports Authority Field at Mile High earned an average “fast-national” household rating/share, which includes both the live broadcast and same-day replay, of 12.3/21, a 297 percent increase from last year’s 3.1/5.

The broadcast was watched by 20.2 million viewers nationally, a whopping 312 percent increase from last year’s 4.9 million viewers on NFL Network and over-the-air stations within the two team markets.

The game was also the second-highest rated Thursday night football game, behind only the Steelers-Ravens game (12.7/22 with 22.8 million viewers) on Sept. 11.

Demaryius Thomas hauls in a catch for a first-and-10 in the second quarter. (Joe Amon, The Denver Post)

Only four days after Peyton Manning’s record night against the 49ers, the Broncos returned to Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Thursday to defeat Philip Rivers and the Chargers, 35-21. Here were some notable and not-so-notable moments from the Week 8 victory.

BESTS

Going long: The Broncos played rope-a-dope to end the first half, patiently dinking and dunking their way down the field. But after a C.J. Anderson run up the middle for no gain, Peyton Manning uncorked a 31-yard TD to Emmanuel Sanders.

Miller on a roll: Von Miller’s dance after a second quarter sack — extending his NFL-high sack total to nine — came after he sprinted a circle around Chargers’ right tackled D.J. Fluker.

No let up: Denver started the second half as well as it ended the first half. Chris Harris intercepted a Philip Rivers pass on San Diego’s third play in the third quarter.

WORSTS

Stalled offense: Two Broncos drives came up fruitless in the fourth quarter so coach John Fox called for a 53-yard field goal try. Brandon McManus’s kick was wide left, leaving San Diego within two scores with six minutes left.

Steady Philip: Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers was so ticked off after a three-and-out in the first quarter, he took off his helmet, then screamed into the in-helmet microphone at his offensive coordinator.

No go: This is picking nits, but the Broncos punted on 4th-and-1 on their 43-yard line on their opening drive. Peyton Manning seemed ready to go for it.Read more…

Mike Klis has been with The Denver Post since 1998, after working 13 years with the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph. Major League Baseball was Klis' initial passion. He started covering the Colorado Rockies after Coors Field was approved for construction in August 1990.

Nicki Jhabvala is the Sports Digital News Editor for The Denver Post. Before arriving in Denver, she spent five years at Sports Illustrated working primarily as its online NBA editor, and she was most recently the overnight home page editor at the New York Times. She has reported regularly on the Broncos since joining the staff.

A published author and award-winning journalist, Benjamin Hochman is a sports columnist for The Denver Post. He previously worked on the staff of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, winners of two Pulitzer Prizes for their Hurricane Katrina coverage.